Kenya Navy has found itself on a chopping board after reports emerged that it had abandoned stranded fishermen in Indian ocean after their boat capsized.
The eight fishermen who miraculously survived 17 days in the Indian Ocean along the Kenyan coastΒ were spotted and rescued by marine police on patrol on Christmas Day.
“Their boat were taken to the deep waters and capsized by strong winds and they have been in the ocean,” said Malindi Sub County Police Commander Vitalis Otieno who confirmed the incident.
They had been reported missing at Ziwayu beach, on the north coast and were using an Alhafidh Fibre 15HP boat.
Upon their rescue, the eight were rushed to Malindi Sub County Hospital for a medical check-up.
However, the internet has been set ablaze after the victims narrated their ordeal in the sea.
On their 9th day in the sea, they spotted Kenya Navy soldiers who were on patrol.
Stricken by thirst and hunger, they tried to ask for help, but the soldiers ignored them.
They then tried to ask for drinking water and food, a request that was also ignored.
Lucky To Be Alive: Four fishermen missing for 17 days found alive at sea. Their boat ran out of fuel and drifted, in Ziwayu, Kilifi
They fed on 58Kgs of lobster and fish they had caught
They were rescued, treated at Malindi sub-county hospital#Tonight@lillian_muli pic.twitter.com/ZXFUSscrVX
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) December 26, 2019
The eight survived on salty sea water and dry fish for 17 days.
The move displayed by Kenya Navy has angered Kenyans who have flocked social media to bash them over failure to rescue stranded Kenyans.
The Navy is now being accused of leaving innocent Kenyans to die in the sea.
Here are some of the reactions.
Fishermen were lost at sea for 18 days. Kenya Navy found them on the 9th day. The fishermen begged for help. Our "good and kind Kenya Navy" refused and left them to die.
— juma G. π°πͺ (@jumaf3) December 27, 2019
The Fishermen who survived for 17 days in the open ocean represent the true spirit & hustle in each Kenyan patriot and the Kenya Navy represented a government detached from its people. System vs Patriots.
— Blue. (@Ak17Angry) December 27, 2019
Shame on Kenya Navy for ignoring those fishermen in the deep sea. But thank God for their safe return. Allahu Akbar!
— Empower the Northern Frontier (@TheRealNjeruz17) December 27, 2019
So Kenya Navy found those fisherman that survived for 17 days stranded in the deep sea on their 9th day but the guys left them for dead just because they didn't get orders. "Kenya Navy" is a disgrace! pic.twitter.com/ilm77trriX
— SENIOR (@REPTILE_OBERI) December 27, 2019
If those guys had died in the ocean(God Forbid) kenya navy would have now spent millions to retrieve the bodies and later get praises for that. What kind of inhuman act is this bana.#ShamelessKenyaNavy
— K.O.T G.O.A.Tβ’π―π°πͺ (@ItsJohnMwendaH) December 27, 2019
When someone tells me Kenya Navy they are good while I know walinyima watu hata maji shame on them. pic.twitter.com/A0ByMYLOXP
— Opura victor /#Mcopuratheactor (@opura254) December 27, 2019
Kenya Navy is a disgrace to KDF,while their brothers the Kenya Army are busy fighting alshaabab in somalia,they are busy in Kenya rehearsing to entertain their despots on national holidays
Its just an entertainment unit for the President.— UMOJA FINEST (@dawn_ochieng) December 27, 2019
Kenya Navy will come out claiming they did their best to save the lives of the fishermen later just to save their face, shame!
— ππ₯ππ³π’πππ§π ππ’π§π π¬ππ¨π§β’π°πͺ π°πͺ (@ItsKemey) December 27, 2019
Maybe they're not in this photo but if, indeed, the Kenya Navy refused to save the fishermen who'd drifted in the sea and left them for death is one disappointing time to be Kenyan. It's such a shame of no magnitude.
But we were, also, not told how they survived the 17 days. pic.twitter.com/zjlVmMBfvY
— Abuya O. Abuya (@AbuyaOAbuya) December 27, 2019